To assist instructors in creating course syllabi the University has developed a syllabus generator integrated into Canvas. This tool provides the following:

• all syllabus elements required under the Academic Courses Policy,
• other elements that are suggested to be included,
• sample language and explanation for the inclusion of each element,
• an easy-to-use template to create your syllabus within Canvas, and
• an opportunity to quickly indicate the institutional priorities addressed in your course.

If your college or department would like custom language included in the template, please contact the GMCTL to arrange a consultation.

If you wish to use a Microsoft Word version of the template, see the section above for a template and guide with suggested language for each element. Whether you use the templates, one specific to your college or department, or create your own, all USask syllabi must be written in accordance with the Academic Courses Policy.

Syllabi posted in Canvas are automatically set to public as the default at the USask, to allow students to view past course syllabi before registering for courses and to help fellow faculty know what has been taught in prerequisite courses. Syllabi set to public are added to the programs page, under the course description button. Instructors may choose to hide a syllabus by making it private in Canvas each time they make a course.

Syllabi do not become public until after the completion of the term for that class, so only people who have access to Canvas for that class offering will be able to see the syllabus during the term.

Is there anything I should keep in mind about my public syllabus?

We encourage you to leave your syllabi public for the benefit of students and to help promote your course. Like the abstract for a journal article, a public syllabus helps people know what your course is focused on without sharing all your content, ideas, and instructional materials.

With this in mind, remember not to:

• include any copyrighted material within your syllabus (e.g., images), or 
• include contact information for anyone, such as your teaching assistants, without their approval.
• Information like cell phone numbers you want to share with your students but not publicly can go on a private page in Canvas or course handout instead of the syllabus.

What should I do if I don't want my syllabus public?

You should change the settings in Canvas, so the syllabus is private, which is the default for all other course materials in Canvas. Do this as a part of your regular course set up.

• Watch: Step-by-step video on making your syllabus private.
• Read: Canvas instructor article to customize visibibility options for course content.

Syllabus blog